Inside the Cubs.

Choi must wait while McGriff chases 30th homer

When Fred McGriff stepped to the plate in the first inning Monday night, more than a few fans at Wrigley Field screamed: "We want Choi!"

Fair enough, but they might want to root for McGriff in the meantime. Hee Seop Choi's playing time won't get a significant boost until McGriff hits his 30th home run.

"I understand the importance of Choi getting some at-bats," manager Bruce Kimm said. "But I'd like McGriff to get to 30 home runs. Once he does that, then I'll do some evaluating."

McGriff has been sitting on 28 homers since Aug. 22.

After entering Monday with just six RBIs in his previous 17 games, McGriff silenced the hecklers by lining a run-scoring double to right in the first.

Choi sent a charge through his team Sunday by crushing a 432-foot home run against the Cardinals. After entering the game Monday as a pinch-hitter, he brought the crowd to its feet by ripping a long drive to deep right. But Vladimir Guerrero caught it on the warning track.

Choi, who is expected to make his next start Wednesday, spoke to his parents in Korea on Monday.

"They say it's unbelievable," Choi said of the attention he is receiving at home. "A lot of media. Every newspaper, TV."

Choi's parents plan to come to Chicago for the team's final homestand, beginning Sept. 24.

Slumping Patterson gets a boost from pinch homer

For the second consecutive game Kimm rested Corey Patterson, who entered the game in a 7-for-58 (.121) slump.

"We're giving him a little break," Kimm said.

Fortunately for the Cubs, it didn't last the whole game. Inserted as a pinch-hitter in the seventh, Patterson ripped a home run off Montreal's Tony Armas to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead.

"I've been trying to stay nice and relaxed at the plate," Patterson said. "I've talked to a lot of veteran guys, like Sammy [Sosa] and Freddie. What I'm going through, they've been through."

Cubs announce their plans for 9/11 tribute Wednesday

To commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Cubs will distribute T-shirts bearing the phrase "We Shall Not Forget" to all fans who enter the ballpark for Wednesday's game against Montreal.

Before the game, six students from LeMoyne Elementary will recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Wayne Messmer will sing the Canadian and American national anthems and an Irish pipe band will perform "Amazing Grace."

There will be a moment of silence in the middle of the seventh inning followed by Messmer's signing of "God Bless America."